TURNIPSEED TRAVEL
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media

Travel Gear Review: Tortillas, Titanium, and Testing The Lightest Backpacking Stove

21/10/2014

 

Updated in 2022! Is Vargo's Hexagon wood stove, the lightest backpacking stove we've ever tried, up to the job?

I requested a Vargo Hexagon Wood Stove for the purposes of doing a review and it was kindly provided to me at no cost. This did not influence my opinions and all writing remains my own. Note that this post contains affiliate links.

Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove backpacking camping review Lightest backpacking stove
This hexagon wood stove is the lightest backpacking stove we've ever tried.
In case you haven't heard, I have a bit of an obsession with ultralight packing. The lighter, the smaller, the better! And one of my biggest pet peeves is when travel items described as "lightweight" are anything but. So when I had the chance to test Vargo's ultralight titanium backpacking hexagon wood stove, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical that a stove could even remotely be described as 'light'. Turns out, it's the lightest backpacking stove we've ever tried.
When the stove arrived, I soon had to change my tune. Instead of not being light enough, I was now worried that this hexagon wood stove might be too small and too light! With a base of just 5 inches in diameter and weighing just 4.1 ounces (116 grams) thanks to its titanium construction, it is the lightest piece of gear in my pack. It folds down completely flat like a piece of paper and takes absolutely no room in my bag. But can something so tiny be strong enough to work well?
Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove backpacking camping review
We've got fire!! Out secret trick is working out well!
Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove backpacking camping review Believe it or not our medium sized, heavy bottomed pot balanced on the tiny stove with no wobbles or wiggles.
Being our first time using the stove, we took the extra precaution of adding a layer of tinfoil underneath it but this isn't necessary. As we were starting our fire on a damp and rainy day, we decided to test a bit of an urban myth we had heard about fire starting - that Doritos chips make for excellent burning material! Sadly, we were out of Doritos but we did have tortilla chips and I can confirm that they make an excellent fuel. Despite the weather and my own minimal experience, a strong flame was burning within a minute! 
​
Before long, we were able to close the stove's door and add our pot of water to the top. I wasn't feeling overly confident that such a small stove and such a small flame could heat water as quickly as the company claims (they suggest you can have boiling water in about 10 minutes). But I was wrong!! 

Our water heated up quickly and within a few minutes it was warm enough to use as wash water and we did indeed reach a full boil within about 10 minutes. And this was with misty weather and on our very first attempt! I am convinced that any first time user would have a similar level of success - it was quick and easy and stress free. 

The operating principles of this hexagon wood stove are simple - you unfold and set up the stove and arrange basic fire starting materials inside. We placed tinder at the bottom, surrounded by a layer of easy-to-catch small twigs and kindling, and then add more substantial, solid pieces of wood. We started with cardboard and paper scraps as tinder, added in nut shells and wood chips, and stood by with our 'real' wood for when we got a fire going. You do need a basic knowledge of fire building to be successful and the Vargo Hexagon comes with instructions and video links showing the process in easy to understand steps.
Despite my happiness with the Vargo Hexagon, it still won't become my primary camping stove. Ultimately, the thing I love best about it has come to work against it. The stove's small size is just not a good compliment to provincial and federal campgrounds, where wood is sold in large sticks of kindling that would never be compatible with the stove. It seems silly to bring such a tiny stove and then also bring a large axe to chop firewood into tiny chunks! Furthermore, many campgrounds also have rules about going off your campsite to gather fire materials from the woods. They want dead wood to naturally decompose in the forest and they don't want campers tramping through sensitive eco-systems. 

Therefore, while I would hugely recommend it for ultralight expeditions and backwoods treks - or anyone who wants a backup system for their propane stoves - I don't think the Vargo Hexagon is practical for the traditional campground visitor. It would however be a good option for backpackers who occasionally mix camping into their plans and want to carry some basic gear without sacrificing space or weight in their pack. Priced at $60, it may seem expensive for such a tiny piece of equipment, but dedicated trekkers know that you get what you pay for when it comes to quality gear and this is definitely one piece that delivers on its promises of weight, size, and ease of use. It's an investment that would quickly pay off for anyone exploring the deep wilderness where every single ounce counts. 

I'd love to hear from you - have you had any travel gear you were skeptical about? Were your suspicions confirmed or were you happily surprised?

If you enjoyed this post, you'll also like:
Oceanfront Camping in Prince Edward Island
Does A Sleeping Bag Count as Carry On?
Travel Disasters: When the Tent Blows Away



Comments are closed.
    Recent Posts
    Posts by Location
    Turnipseed Travel Category Canada
    Turnipseed Travel Category USA
    Turnipseed Travel Category Europe
    Turnipseed Travel Category Africa
    Turnipseed Travel Category Australia
    Turnipseed Travel Category Asia

    Post Categories

    All
    $200 Challenge
    200m Challenge
    Accommodation
    Africa
    Amsterdam
    Anti Adventurist
    Asia
    Australia
    Belgium
    Business Travel
    Camping
    Canada
    Central Counties
    Cozy Travel
    Destinations
    Europe
    Experiences & Activities
    Female Travel
    Food And Drink
    Gear And Packing
    Golf
    Greece
    Guest Posts & Interviews
    Health
    Inspiration
    Making Travel Memories
    Montreal
    Most Popular Posts
    National Parks
    Norfolk County
    Ontario
    Ottawa
    Paris
    Partners
    Pet Travel
    Photo Essay
    Preparation
    Press Trip Portfolio
    Reviews Accommodation
    Reviews Gear Packing
    Round The World
    Saving
    Toronto
    Transportation
    Travel Cooking
    Travel Memories Series
    UK & Ireland
    United States

    Posts by Date

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Disclaimers, Privacy, and Cookie Policy

Top 100 Travel Influencer
As named by the Obama White House in 2014.​
White House Study Abroad Logo 2014
Turnipseed Travel Logo 2019
DMCA.com Protection Status
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media